Siangwaan
Siangwaan, officially the Republic of Siangwaan (Siangwaanian: Tang Zo Siangwaan), is a nation located along the eastern parts of the continent of Palkyras along the Dunomin Ocean. It is surrounded by Varn Venn and Peren to the east; Josol to the southwest; and the mixed-folk of Iruwasa to the west. Heronoja is located north of it beyond the Nereana Bay. Flag and symbols The National Flag of the Republic of Siangwaan (Tang Zo Siang Waan Me Waan Kü) is a rectangular banner of several stripes and bands. The yellow bands represent honour (or the sun), the red band for courage and sacrifice, the white band for strong willpower, the light blue band for wisdom, and the dark blue bands represent resourcefulness (or the sea). The yellow and blue bands are positioned in a way as to subtly reflect the Siangwaanian belief in yam yeung ping, harmony in all things, hence the alternate name of the flag as the "Yam Yeung Flag" (Yam Yeung Kü). Another name for Siangwaan's national flag is "the Nine Stripes", each of which represents a principle from its modern founders. They are: * Tang Lok - Unity * Waan Weng - Awareness of surroundings * Ming Bak - Purpose * Tang Yok - Fairness * Zang Da - Justice * Chaau Ngen - Equality * Tang Daa - Welfare * Lao Kang - Self-sufficiency * Tie Naa - Determination The national animal of Siangwaan is the keilin, a sort of deer with a tortoise's shell and a thick, fluffy mane. This auspicious beast symbolises renewal and innovation. Siangwaan's Independence Day is celebrated annually on 26 July; its Foundation Day (independence from Vozonid slavery) on 19 June; and the date of Hwong Dei's Coronation is observed around every 5 April, four days after the International New Year. Geography Siangwaan is situated at a tropical plateau, which gets cooler and mistier as one goes from the northern coast, southwards toward the Mandil Mountain Range. The further southern parts are cold enough for scenic pine forests to grow and snow to fall, making them popular among hikers and skiiers. Features Its capital is the sleek metropolis of Ei Ka. As it was formerly the residence of its former emperors, it was known as the "Yellow City" after the former emperors' robes and banners. * Ei Ka Metropolis (north-centre) * Zu Zeuk Province (south) ** Lao Yukging Town * Cheng Long Province (east) ** Chau Yok Town * Bak Ho Province (north) * Yun Wo Province (west) ** Mong Shanlang Range (west, "Dream Mountains") * Quttomar Labs * Achala Beacon Tower * Grand Monunment to Gwaan Gong Politics Siangwaan is a federal republic; it is ruled by a President and a Vice President, both of which were elected by its citizens. Military Siangwaan's Ground Force is among the continent's strongest militaries, in spite of their country's size. Its skies are defended by the Siangwaanian Aerospace Force. The Siangwaanian military is equipped with very technologically-advanced weaponry, from plasma rifles to flying tanks and starships. Economy Siangwaan has a very developed economy, built by manufacturing vehicles, space trade and flight, medical exports, fishing, rubber, and tourism income. It is a very technologically-advanced nation. Siangwaan's currency is the yüen, known as yüen'ya in plural. A bank note for a single Siangwaanian yüen consists of 100 chin'yacoins, each of which retains the square holes in the middle from their ancient predecessors. Most urban Siangwaanians use flying vehicles powered by rytoryntar fuel or crystals, while the rest of the country uses land automobiles and trucks like in other countries. Many rural people also prefer using horse-drawn wagons and motorcycles: while some richer rurals also use flying cars, they are often avoided because of their expensive upkeep, their loud noise, and their tendency to attract the occasional vandal, drunkard, or hooligan. Demographics Most people in the country are from the Siangwaanian ethnicity: a tan-skinned, thin-eyed race descended from prisoners of war during the Sarmelonid era who founded this country. Minorities include crimson Josolchir Vozonids and brown-skinned aborigines in the southeast. Attracted by the less-restrictive laws of Siangwaanian society, thousands of blond, blue-eyed Heronoi from the north have also made Siangwaan as their home since the 1800s, and are since recognised as one of the country's minorities. Most Siangwaanian Heronoi work in medicine, transportation, or technology. Aside from them, various expats from other nations have also immigrated to Siangwaan's cities because of their cheaper costs of living. Culture Siangwaan's culture is similar to that of their Daizhouvian ancestors, but with more Ald-Ardeschen and Vozonid influences. Due to this, the months of September (Purulli, Vozonid New Year; and Dang Chung, Mid-Autumn Festival) and November (Uorimon and Zomjonor's Birthday) are regarded as festive months with longer holidays. Siangwaan has one of the region's highest education rates. Languages Siangwaanian, a distant relative and descendant of Daizhouvian, is one of three official languages of Siangwaan; the other two being Josolchir and the international language of Bujanski. Although it is properly written with ideographs, many Siangwaanians write their tonal language using the Josolchir alphabet, as they consider it to be more convenient. Siangwaanian also has its own dialects: for example, the eastern provinces have a bl phoneme in some words developed from b'' or ''l, and the western provinces merge m'' and ''b in many words into v, which usually appears in Vozonid loanwords. The syllabic Heronoi language is also a minority language in some towns in the west, and aboriginal languages (like Rutai, Kjongkjong, Uwetah'wal, and Baunez) are used in the southeast. Religion Most Siangwaanians are Buddhists, although their religion is heavily influenced by their folk traditions and customs from its Vozonid neighbours. Like its Daizhouvian origin, the Siangwaanian pantheon also has its own hierarchy of gods, celestials, ascended ones, and wights, each of which has their own ceremonies to earn their favour. Popular deities in Siangwaan include Gwon Yam (the goddess of mercy), Gwaan Gong (the god of war), and Woncheung Wong (the god of refined culture). Of the three, Gwaan Gong is revered as the national deity of Siangwaan, in honour of the revolution against Thralondian rule. Minorities of Taoists, Ruists, and Vozonised and Atenist converts also exist in Siangwaan. Taoists and Ruists are more common in the north, Vozonised converts are found in the southern provinces (where they live alongside Josolchir immigrants, and where shrines to Mount Mandil's ape-wight can be found), and Atenist converts mostly live in urban areas. Taoists and Ruists are given additional benefits by the government for performing monthly or yearly ceremonies for the country at its national temples. Furthermore, in spite of Siangwaan having a Buddhist majority, the Nine Principles that form the republic's national philosophy were based on Ruist beliefs. The Heronoi minority practices either their native polytheistic religion and its worship of the moon god-and-founder king Heros, or their unique monotheism. A few hundreds are instead converts to local beliefs or to Atenism. Aborigines also mostly practice their won native polytheism, but some have also converted mostly to Buddhism or Atenism, due to them being assimilated or influenced by their neighbours. Freedom of religion is a protected right in Siangwaan. Owing to greater exposure to education, a large portion of Siangwaanians are atheists, although many of them practice ceremonies at shrines and temples out of respect. Gallery Siangwaan Jungle.jpg|A jungle in Siangwaan. Southern Siangwaan.png|The further south you go, the colder and higher the land becomes. Trivia * Siangwaan is influenced by the TVB shows that the author watched when he grew up. The country's society and culture are based on those of Hong Kong and Taiwan, with some American and Malaysian influences. ** In fact, Siangwaan's name was derived from the Mandarin Chinese names "Xianggang" (Hong Kong) and "Taiwan" put together. * Coincidentally, Siangwaan's national flag resembles that of the Republic of China before 1928. * It was the setting of one of the author's earliest Rabydosverse stories, "Unicorn Farmhand", which is about an intelligent draught horse who loves to write to his owners. He intended for the horse/unicorn's keepers and their country to be East Asian to play with people's demands for "diversity", and to subvert stereotypes of his Chinese people. * People from Ei Ka -- the capital city -- are noted for being rude and impatient. Category:Rabydosverse